The Weeping Willow
by KittehVader
Summary: The Guardians: spirits whose purpose in their after-lives is to keep children smiling. Keep them giggling. The Guardians were founded for joy! Or so it seems to every spirit, even the saddest spirit of all. But do they really understand what the Man-in-the-Moon has planned for them? Do they truly grasp the concept of what it means to be a "Guardian"?
1. Prologue

"Momma, look! What a pretty tree," a little girl cooed, pulling gently on her mother's sleeve as they walked around the local stores.

"Yes, love. It's beautiful. It's called a weeping willow," the mother replied, looking through delicate eyes at the tree her daughter pointed to.

"Weeping willow? But... why 'weeping'?"

"Look at it again, love," the mother said, crouching down to the little girl's height, "See how the branches droop and sway in the most gentle of breezes? Do you see the fragile silver leaves that turn their faces toward the ground?"

The little girl studied the tree and found what her mother said to be true. The silver leaves hung limply from the grey-toned branches that reached to the frozen earth. Beneath the branch cover, the ground was plain dirt and frost, the tree roots that stretched deep also supplied an almost bench-shaped seat. "Yes, Momma, I see."

"Well, the leaves fall like a trail of tears when you cry. And if you ever cry, you can hide under a willow tree, love. It's said that they comfort you. That's why they're called weeping willows."

"...That's so sad." The little girl held a small frown as she looked at the beautiful tree once again. A sad beauty, it was. That description fit it perfect, she thought. Her vibrant green eyes looked up at her mother as the woman let out a sigh.

"Yes, love. I suppose it is a bit sad."

The mother stood again, taking a hold of her daughter's hand to continue walking. Her own mother had told her, many years ago, that the willow tree was a place to find solace, a place of shelter and peace. As a child, she had imagined fairy-like creatures circling the branches and carrying crystals fit for a crown with them. Now, as an adult and parent, she knew that her mother had told her that for a reason. If ever she were to run away crying, her childish heart would take her to the willow tree, a place her mother was sure to always find her.

And now she had said the same to her own child, in hopes of offering a secret meeting place should her daughter ever lose her way.

The whole time they talked, the two were unaware of the silent pair of silver eyes watching them from between the branches. Her hair blended with the grey wood as she watched the mother and daughter walk away.

She'd heard their conversation and had studied them from her tree until they left.

Their conversation remained on her mind, replaying.

They'd said her name.

That was two years ago.

Two years felt like such a short time in comparison to hundreds of years. People had always said her name, but never once, in the five hundred years she'd spent as a spirit, had anyone truly believed in her.

And that was about to change.


	2. Chapter 1

The wind rustled through the dainty leaves, blowing wisps of snow across the frosted ground.

She sat on the tree silently, wondering one thought that kept coming back to the front of her mind.

She wasn't a guardian, and she wasn't a human, so... _what was she_?

Bringing her hand to her face she felt beneath her fingertips the smooth ashen brown skin. In life she had been pale, with blonde hair and hazel eyes, but her spirit had always run with those of a darker toned skin. She had watched and befriended them, so as a spirit, she took their appearance. It was not as dark as their skin had been, but she could fully leave behind who she was when she was living.

She traced with her index finger the careful string of teardrop-shaped beads that fell from her head piece. It was a wreath of slim, silver twigs with beads that cascaded down to her lips. The jewels encompassed her full head, streaming down with her long wavy brown hair.

Her bracelets were made of the same variety beads. She loved to watch the small jewels catch the light and refract the colors into patterns on the snow around her. Her earrings were leaves taken from her home-tree. One side was frosty silver; the other side was green and showed the veins of the plant.

Shivering against another gust, she pulled closer her mossy-green cloak and tightened the scarf around her neck. They were made of a soft velvet-like material that held heat surprisingly well for so thin a fabric. It held heat much better than her dress. The simple chiffon material wafted around her frame in an array of greys.

Her moccasin-like shoes slipped soundlessly across the snow as she walked from one tree to the next.

What was she?

Or better still,... _who_ was she? What was the role she was to play in the grand scheme of everything?

She smiled gently as she watched Santa's sleigh glide across the clouds. She could hear his bellowing laughter as a bright flash of color zipped around him.

She had no doubt it was the Tooth Fairy.

It's true that the Guardians used to see very little of each other, but ever since Pitch nearly killed Sandman, things had changed. Now they spoke more often, though no more than three were to be seen together at once.

She watched as Santa pitched a snow-globe, opening a doorway to the North Pole in the middle of the sky. She had a doorway to the North Pole in her trees, but she'd never used it before. There was no need to.

As Santa disappeared, she caught a glimpse of the moon up above. It shone beautifully down from the sky, lighting the night with its glorious wonder.

"Hello, my friend," she whispered as a flurry of leaves swept by, her eyes planted on the luminous globe. "It's getting chillier by the day."

As always there was no answer, but she never expected one really. To her, the Man in the Moon was her loyal friend, always visible in the sky from at least one of her trees.

"I was thinking again, about what I am- who I am, actually- and I was wondering if you knew. I know who I used to be, that I was once a girl named Willow Lark. I can remember times when I had a family, a home. I had a purpose. But, friend, I have lost my purpose. I know not why I'm here anymore. I've forgotten my reason to wander this earth."

She looked back to the Man in the Moon, but there was no response.


	3. Chapter 2

The children huddled around the window, their eyes glowing bright with excitement and wonder. Only three more weeks till Christmas, and today had been a snow day. There was a foot of snow on the ground, ice crystals growing across the windows, and a sprite-like boy gliding along the telephone wires.

He looked around, grinning as the sound of a child's laughter reached his ears. A few of the kids pointed up at him happily.

That was the wonder of being a Guardian.

Children weren't supposed to see you, but every immortal spirit longed to be seen. Children could only see if they believed, yet they were being taught that these "good ghosts" were myths from the cradle, a way that parents entertained kids, until a certain age. If enough children lost their belief in these spirits, the spirits themselves would soon fade.

A Guardian had that special pleasure of knowing that they were the reason for the delight on a child's face. They had the magical experience of being loved just for who they are and what they represented.

There was Santa Claus, the tall and jolly man who rode on a flying sleigh. What wonder the mere idea of such a man brought to the children.

There was the Tooth Fairy, who traded your teeth for gold coins at night. The memories that child would cherish of waking up and finding change under their own pillow... that was what the Tooth Fairy lived for. The memories.

There was SandMan, the one who watched over you while sleeping. Every good dream had started with his sand, he helped children to remain happy through the dark of night. He guarded their dreams.

There was the Easter Bunny, all six feet of him. Many thought of him as pure white and easily scared, running away when he heard the humans approach. But he couldn't be too scared. After all, it was his job to deliver painted eggs to countries all over the world. He just wasn't a people person, but he loved the hope in a child's eyes when they anticipated being able to find him on their Easter egg hunt.

And then there was Jack Frost. While the other Guardians fled after being spotted, Jack turned his spontaneous appearances into games. He was the Guardian of Fun, after all. That was his nature.

"Hey, kids," Jack chuckled, swinging down from his perch above the rooftops. "Ready for some fun?"

"Yeah!" the kids cheered as they all set to work, making snowballs.

"Let's build a fort!" one little boy suggested to Jack, his grin missing two teeth, Jack noticed.

"Alright. Did you save those teeth for the Tooth Fairy?" he asked the boy, who in return nodded fervently.

"Yes! They were baby teeth, anyway. Momma says I'll be getting two bigger teeth to replace them soon!"

Jack grinned as a snowball went sailing through the frosty air. The battle had begun.

She watched from afar as the children laughed, wishing she could bring them such joy as the other spirits were able to.

But she had no place among the giggles and smiles.

She was destined for the tears.


	4. Chapter 3

Jack was smiling at the children as they rolled around in the snow, when movement from the trees caught his eye. He swiveled his head around to refocus his gaze, but he couldn't see anything apart from the leaves and branches covered with snow.

"Jack!" one of the children called, regaining his attention.

"Yeah?"

"We have to go home now, but promise you'll come play again soon?" the kid's face was full of hope and excitement, emotions that were mirrored on the faces of the other children, too. Jack chuckled, ruffling the kid's hair fondly.

"Sure, I promise."

He waved as they trudged back into town, each child heading to their own house. Glancing to the sky, Jack sighed.

"Again...?" he huffed, grasping his staff and floating high in the air as the wind carried him closer to the Northern lights.

She paused at the base of the frost-covered willow tree. Sitting with her knees pulled up and her head down was a little girl. She had messy brown hair that was pulled back into pigtails and her jeans were splashed with mud.

The child's shoulders shook gently with muffled sobs.

This was one of the times she was thankful for being an exceptional spirit. She'd never really fit in with the other spirits for a reason.

She could be _seen_.

All the other spirits dreamed of being noticed and having a mortal see them, but she didn't. She could be seen, when and by whom she wished.

It was just one of the many traits the Man in the Moon had given her that made her special.

"Are you alright?" the spirit asked in a soft voice. As she became visible, solid, the spirit's clothes changed from the dress and cape to jeans and a jacket. Trading in her moccasins for boots, she kept the scarf on, as always.

The little girl looked up, a trail of tears sliding down each cheek. Bright green eyes looked at her as the spirit gasped. This was the same girl whose mother had told her about willow trees two years ago. This very willow tree, in fact.

"What's your name?" the spirit asked with a small smile, as she recovered.

"I'm Maggie," the little girl sniffed, "Wh-who're you?"

"My name is Willow," she answered, taking a seat beside the girl on the ground. She used her index finger to brush the tears from the child's cheek, her skin distinctly darker than the little girl's. "Why do you cry, Maggie?"

The girl looked at Willow, her eyes looking glassy. "My step-bro-brother was being mean."

"Oh?" Willow asked, rubbing Maggie's back in slow circles.

Maggie's muscles relaxed as Willow began to sooth her. Maggie had been frightened of the older girl at first. She wasn't used to talking to teenagers; she was only seven herself. But Willow had a calm presence and seemed friendly so far.

"Yeah. He-... he said that Santa wasn't r-real. He said that Sant-ta never came with presents, and that the East-ster Bunny didn't deliver the eggs-s. He said I was a bab-by for-... for believing."

Maggie had the hiccups, so it took her a minute or two between sneezing, sniffling and hiccuping to finish her explanation. Willow didn't once pause in rubbing Maggie's back as she listened.

"Hey," Willow said, gently taking Maggie's chin her hand and facing her, "Believing doesn't make you a baby, Maggie." Lowering her voice, she added, "Want to know a secret?"

Maggie opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a hiccup. Instead, she simply nodded her head, pigtails bobbing up and down.

"I've seen Santa before."

Maggie's eyes widened as she looked at Willow. All the teenagers she knew had told her Santa wasn't real, but here was Willow, a teenager claiming to have _seen_ the big man himself.

"Really? You've seen him?"

"Mmm-hmm," Willow smiled, running her hand though Maggie's pigtailed hair as the girl stared off into space for a moment. "I saw Santa because I never once stopped believing in him. And guess what?"

"What?"

"I still believe in him, as well as the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, too."

"Don't forget Sandman and Jack Frost!" Maggie added in, her eyes now sparkling in a happy way.

Willow chuckled. "You're right. We shouldn't forget them either."

Maggie stared at Willow. Willow was the strangest teenager she'd ever met. None of the other teenage girls even looked twice at her, and surely they wouldn't have cared if she were crying.

For the slightest of moments Maggie wondered if Willow had claimed to believe simply to make Maggie happy. But looking in her honest silver eyes, Maggie knew Willow wouldn't lie to her like that. Willow was telling the truth.

She believed.

"Willow?"

"Yes, Maggie?"

Maggie looked out at the tree branches that brushed against the frozen ground. "I had a friend once; she was Stacey. She looked kind of like you, with dark skin and light eyes. But she moved away. Will you be my friend?"

"Of course, Maggie." Willow cooed, as the girl hugged her arm, "I'll be your friend."

Willow smiled, not the half smile Maggie had seen before or the soft smile she'd seen when they first met. Willow smiled a full, genuine smile. Maggie stared at her in awe. Willow was already prettier than the other teenage girls Maggie knew. But when Willow smiled, Maggie thought of her mother.

To Maggie, her mother and Willow were the two most beautiful people in the whole wide world.

Maggie hid her face in Willow's sleeve when she thought of her mother. It had been two years since her mother had first taken Maggie to a willow tree and nearly two years since she'd first run to one.

"My mother told me that willow trees were places of comfort."

Maggie nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard that. Those were nearly the exact same words she was going to say. But Willow had beaten her to it.

"That was a long time ago."

"...my mom said the same," Maggie whispered looking at Willow's face. "That was before she died."

Willow stared as Maggie looked to the ground, kicking her feet out from under her.

"I'm sorry to hear that. My mother passed away, also."

Maggie nodded softly, enjoying the presence of her new friend. She felt safe sitting beside Willow under the snow-laden branches.

"Maggie!" a masculine voice called, bringing her attention forward.

"That's my dad," Maggie sighed, standing up and turning to Willow who stood with her. "Will I see you again?"

Willow took one glance at the hopeful look in Maggie's eyes and knew they'd meet again.

"Let me tell you something, Maggie," she said bending down to the little girl's height. "Whenever you want to see me, come to this tree. Do you know what this type of tree is called?"

Maggie nodded. "A willow tree," she said, proud of herself for knowing the name. She gasped. "Just like your name! Willow!"

Willow smiled, "Yes, Maggie. A willow tree. When you need me, come to this willow tree and I'll come to you. Okay?"

"Okay! Bye, Willow!" Maggie giggled, running out from beneath the drooping branches and into the waiting arms of her father. Willow looked after them as the two walked away. She could hear them laughing and see the little girl smiling.

"Goodbye, Maggie."

"Ah, Jack!" a deep voice with a heavy Russian accent boomed as the spirit of winter stepped further into the toy work-shop. "You finally arrive! Just in time, too."

"Hey, North. What's going on?"

"Man in Moon has announcement, _big_ announcement. I feel it in my belly," the big man said, clutching his stomach and jiggling the excess weight ever so slightly.

"Awesome," Jack quipped, perched on top of his staff as two long ears poked in through the doorway.

"Tooth's here now, mate," the over-grown hare said, glancing at Jack and opening the door for the last two members to come in.

"Hey, Kangaroo."

"Yeah, hello to you, too, Frostbite."

After Tooth checks to make sure Jack's teeth continue to "sparkle like the freshly fallen snow" and after she is scolded to keep her hands to herself by North, the moon shines brightly through the square in the ceiling, lighting up a design on the wooden floors of Santa's work-shop.

"What is this?" North says, looking at Sandman who writes a question mark with the sand above his head.

Slowly two shadows appear, one of a child, the other of a very familiar looking profile.

"Pitch," Jack sneers, "I thought we got rid of him."

"Apparently he survived, that's him alright; but who's the child?" Tooth chattered, a few of her fairies buzzing around her also.

"Magdaline Jacobs," the wind whispered as the moon's voice carried to where the five spirits were meeting.

"Alright, Magdaline," North muttered, "always on nice list, I remember."

"But why is she a shadow?" Jack asked. The others shrugged as slowly a white-blue crystal rose from beneath the floor-boards.

"Oh no," Bunnymund whined, burring his whiskered face in his paws, "not another!"

"Another?" Frost asked. He'd never seen this before.

"Another Guardian," the Easter Bunny elaborated, as slowly a holographic image appeared above the crystal.

But the silhouette that appeared was not familiar to any of the current Guardians.

The image was a girl in a long dress, a scarf wrapped securely around her neck. Her jewelry dangled with tear-shaped beads and the figure of a distinct tree grew beside her.

"A willow tree?" Bunny asked and Sandy shrugged, but Tooth nodded.

"Yes, yes, a willow tree! But not _just_ a willow tree!" she exclaimed pointing to the girl beside it. "That's Weeping Willow!"


	5. Chapter 4

"Weeping Willow is a nymph," Tooth said happily. A sense of pride filled her at the thought that she was the only one who knew about this new Guardian spirit. "She's the nymph assigned to protect the willow trees. You all know the story of the first willow tree, right?"

The four men looked at each other and then back at Tooth. In almost perfect unison they replied, "No."

"What?!" Tooth looked at them with wide eyes before sighing in exasperation, "You don't even know the simple story? Then in that case I'll tell it to you."

North sat down in a random chair, the mere idea of hearing a new story had him transfixed. The others also made themselves comfortable as Tooth sat a top the railing and began her tale.

"There was once a forest, a vast forest, that extended as far as the eye could see in any and all directions. The trees, young and old alike, grew close, their highest branches intertwining as their deepest roots overlapped. It was a happy forest.

"Over time, the forest thinned out. Fire burned some trees, people cut down others. One by one the trees fell, till all that remained of the once happy forest was one single, lonely tree.

"The tree remained where it was rooted, sad and alone. It watched the world around it change as buildings and roads were built. It watched generations of people come and go. It became a home for various animals, sometimes birds would build their nests in its branches, squirrels would bury themselves in the knots of wood for shelter.

"The tree remained where it was rooted, trying to stay happy, but soon turning sad as it remained alone without another tree nearby to talk with.

"The Man in the Moon saw this and sent a rainstorm one night. For what reason? The tree did not know.

"Large puddles remained after the sun rose and the tree could see its reflection in the water. It felt odd, strange even, staring at its own reflection and so it bent down its branches to touch the still, reflecting pool. The stretch was easy with the weight of the already soaked branches and the tree easily accomplished the task.

"As it continued staring at the reflection a hand came through the leaves, pushing them aside as a little boy ran towards the trunk. The boy looked worn, tired and sad. He curled up against the trunk of the tree and fell asleep, though not before his own tears fell into the puddle.

"Looking into the puddle, the tree saw the reason for the boy's tears.

"The boy was all alone. His father had died and his mother was on her deathbed. None of his other relatives wanted to take him into their care. He was alone.

" 'But,' the tree thought, ' He's not alone completely. I'm here too, and I know how he feels.'

"The tree willed its branches to bend further, almost to the point of breaking, the leaves embracing the boy softly. The tree then vowed to remain for those who were alone and hurting, keeping its bent-over position as a shield to protect those who shed their would cherish the tears and keep them as secrets. Secrets only a best of friend, a sole confidant, would know."

Tooth smiled as she finished the small tale.

"And that is the legend of the first ever willow tree! Ever since then it's been rumored around the human realm that willow trees offer comfort and a place of safety for those who are "all alone" in a sense. They are also a place most common that people go to escape their outside lives and sit for a moment in secret, shielded from the world around them."

"And how exactly does this help us?" Bunnymund grumbled in his Australian accent.

"Well," Tooth replied, still as cheerful as always, "it's truer than true that comfort is found near and around willow trees. That's what Weeping Willow does. She collects the tears of those who are crying. I've only ever seen her once myself, but I asked this other nymph who I know and she explained the rest to me."

"Collects tears?" Jack asked rhetorically, but Tooth nodded anyway. He wrinkled his nose slightly.

He was the Guardian of Fun; tears were not his thing. Giggles were, and bright smiles, and cheerful shouts, and snowball fights, and full-out laughing, too.

_Not_ crying.

Willow turned back to the trunk of the tree, Maggie's giggles echoing in her ears. Even though she followed the tears, the giggles were what she longed more than anything to hear.

"Did you get it, Drip?" she asked the small figure who appeared before her face.

He was four inches tall with grey skin and huge yellow-green eyes. He wasn't quite a spirit like Willow, but he wasn't a fairy-creature either. He was a pixie.

Drip nodded, holding out to Willow a glass vial that was nearly three inches in length. She had more than enough pixies to catch the tears for her, but Willow couldn't be kept away when she heard a child crying.

She'd always appear.

It was part of who she was.


	6. Chapter 5

Maggie ran, her arms pumping by her sides as her short, chubby legs took her as fast as they could as far away from home as she dare run.

She wouldn't believe him. She couldn't. Johnny was just trying to scare her, that was all. He was lying, just as he always was.

She _was_ talented. She _was_ beautiful. She _was_ special.

There were no such things as vampires; no such things as werewolves. Creatures like that weren't real. They didn't exist. And _he_ certainly didn't exist.

...Did he?

Brushing the dainty, almost whimsical branches aside, Maggie stumbled over the protruding roots, but held herself upright. The tear-stains on her cheeks were frozen, her eyes puffy and reddened.

The sound of crunching snow reached her ears, though the sound came from all around her. She held her breath, frightened of what lay in the darkness beyond the branches.

"W-Willow?" the child's small voice called out as she clung to the trunk of a large willow tree, her knees trembling slightly. She wanted her friend. She needed her. But where was she?

"Maggie," a soft voice lulled from behind the child, just loud enough to be heard. The little girl whirled around, brown braid whipping over her shoulder. When she saw who it was, Maggie nearly ran to the person and hugged her, but Maggie stayed frozen. As the older girl came closer, a small, sad smile graced her face, a caring and solemn gleam to her silver eyes. "Maggie, what are you doing out here at this time of night?"

Whatever glue that had previous clung to Maggie's shoes was washed away as her friend came to stand beside her, underneath the willow tree's long draping branches. Maggie ran forwards, arms wrapping around her visitor's waist as a fresh batch of tears sprang forth.

"Willow!" Maggie cried into the older girl's hoodie with broken sobs.

Willow held the girl as she cried, gently lowering them to the ground where Maggie was sitting in Willow's lap. As Maggie continued to cry her heart out, Willow watched the tears glide down her cheeks, disappearing into almost a powder that then floated into a tiny vial in her one hand.

Maggie was so thankful when she found Willow. Willow had kept her promise, she had appeared when Maggie needed her, at the base of the willow tree. And she was once more comforting Maggie.

She clung to the older girl, both of her skinny arms wrapped tightly around Willow's waist and head buried in her shoulder. Willow was rocking back and forth ever-so slightly and as Maggie's sobs grew quieter, she could hear Willow singing softly.

"...For though the soldiers wage their war,  
And battles plague the land,  
I'll hold you forever more,  
Just lend to me your hand

"I hear the trumpets calling  
The men they take away  
I hear the women crying  
But know, I'm here to stay

"Just close your eyes, now rest your head,  
Beside me dream of peace  
And know that as they claim the dead,  
The wars they wage shall cease

"Hush your crying, calm your tears  
No need to be afraid  
Know that as I sit right here  
I see a child who is brave

"I know your flaws, I've seen your fears  
I know what it's like to cry  
But wipe your face and dry your tears  
Look closer at my eyes

"Do I look to be lying  
Or do I speak what's true  
Now let the brave child hiding  
Come forth, I know it's you..."

It was a gentle tune, sad the way it was sung. Maggie listened to the words, but never quite caught their meaning. All she knew was that it was soothing.

"So... where do we start?" Bunnymund questioned in his rich Australian accent, rubbing his long whiskers with his paw.

Tooth laughed lightly, hovering next to the Easter Bunny, "Didn't you hear any of my story? Willow trees. We start by looking for wollow trees."

She whistled a happy song, flittering over to where Sandy stood to the side, just seemingly playing with his sand. North spoke to his yetis, changing colors of this toy and modifying the design of that one. Jack had disappeared to a back room somwhere, probably causing more mischief as the others planned out in their heads how they were going to search for the newest Guardian.

"Joy," Bunny mumbled lowly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, "Now we just have to find _which_ willow tree she's at."

"Willow?" Maggie murmured dazedly, as she looked up at her friend. "Santa and Sandman _are _real, right?"

Willow blinked looking down at Maggie. Hadn't they already discussed this before? "Yes."

"And same for the Tooth Fairy and Jack Frost?" the little girl asked, burying her face deeper into the older girl's scarf. It smelled nice, like vanilla ice cream and a summer breeze. It was a down-to-earth smell, a comfort scent.

"And don't forget the Easter Bunny," Willow teased, causing Maggie to giggle lightly and nod her head. Of course. How could she forget the _Easter Bunny_? He was Maggie's favorite.

"But, Willow," Maggie pulled away, looking into her friend's kind silver eyes, "Are there other spirits, too?"

Willow paused, unsure for once of what the child asked, and unsure of how exactly to respond.

"Yes," she agreed slowly, nodding her head as she thought over her words, "Remember Mother Nature? And Father Time?"

Maggie put a small digit to her chin for a minute and thought. Yes, she remembered them from Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales. And she told Willow so. "But, if they exist, then do dragons?"

Willow paused, looking at the little girl in her lap. Maggie looked almost afraid of Willow's next answer.

"Maggie, what's bothering you?" she asked in a soft voice. Well, her voice was _always_ soft, but this tone was more gentle than before.

Maggie turned to look at the ground, feeling embarrassed and slightly childish. "I..." she tried speaking but her words didn't seem to want to come out in full sentences. "I had a..."

She sighed, glancing at Willow from the corner of her eye. Should she really tell Willow? Or would Willow make fun of her like Johnny, her step-brother had. She thought back to what she knew about Willow, and found she didn't know much. But somehow, Willow had earned Maggie's trust.

"I had a bad dream," she mumbled, face hidden behind her loose bangs.

Willow closed her eyes momentarily before opening them again. So _he_ was scaring Maggie now, huh? _He_ was plaguing her nights with fears.

"A nightmare, huh?" Willow asked, pulling Maggie into a hug. Maggie nodded, laying her head agaist Willow, relieved that she wasn't being mocked. "And what was this nightmare about?"

Maggie could feel her eyes begin to tear as she thought back. She began to cry silently, before whimpering in a tiny voice, "...it was Mom."

"Oi!"

Bunny grunted as he landed in the snow. The stupid "Frostbite" had actually been searching for this "Weeping Willow" instead of causing mischief at the pole. However, he had also managed to cover the area around _every_ willow tree with a nice, thick layer of slippery ice. Which just made it harder for the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus to move around.

Needless to say, Bunnymund was _not_ enjoying this little "hunt." It was cold and all he wanted to do was go home to his warren and take a long-needed nap.

But, no. Now he had to find a new Guardian.

Sandman laughed quietly inside his head, glad it was himself and not Jack Frost the irritated rabbit had been paired with. He had no doubt that if Bunny and Jack were in the same group, they would probably pass right by the Weeping Willow without even noticing her.


	7. Chapter 6

Jack Frost flew through the air, enjoying the crisp cold against his face as he and Tooth searched for the newest member of the Guardians.

They had searched all over the world. High and low. Places willow trees grew, and places they didn't. But they still had not found her.

Jack smiled lightly as he recognized the town they were flying towards.

Burguess.

Maggie sniffled lightly as Willow rocked back and forth, just comforting the girl. And Maggie was content with that.

In Willow's arms she felt safe, like when she was in her father's arms. She felt protected as she sat with Willow beneath the whimsical branches of the willow tree.

Maggie felt relieved that Willow had not questioned her further on her nightmare. As much as Maggie tried to forget it, it stayed burned into the forefront of her mind. She couldn't forget.

Willow sighed softly as Maggie's tears dried slowly. Her fists clenched as she hugged the younger girl closer to her.

How could _he_?

She'd never liked _him_, even slightly. Even all those years ago, she'd _still_ despised _him_...

_"Willow!" a young boy's voice called out in the dark. She turned her head to see him where he lay on his own cot. His clothes were crinkled and sweat ran down his creased brow as he struggled against the bedsheets that had wrapped themselves around his legs. "Willow-w!"_

_Willow rose from her own bed and ran to the boy. "Henry! Henry, wake up!" she called as his small fists flung out in the dark, colliding with her pale arm. Though he was small, Willow knew that the hit was sure to leave a bruise. Her milky skin was easily bruised, after all._

_"Henry!" _

_Scared green eyes snapped open into her own worried grey ones. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as she pulled him into a hug, sighing. _

_"Henry."_

_"W-Willow!" Henry sobbed into his older sister's shoulder. "He-he had you!"_

_Willow glanced over to her right as she felt another hand lightly grip her own nightgown. A little girl with bright green eyes stood there, lower lip jutted out and trembling lightly. Her blonde braid was coming loose at the ends, her nightgown falling loosely around her five-year-old frame._

_"Wiwo," she muttered causing her older sister to sigh._

_When one child mentioned him, the other ran to her also. Willow lifted Henry slowly, walking to her bed where she sat, one little sibling on either side of her._

_As Henry calmed his sobs down, Willow began speaking, both children clinging to her. _

_"Henry, Clara, you believe in Santa. You believe in the Tooth Fairy. You believe in Sandman. And you believe in the Easter Bunny, correct?"_

_Both children nodded their little heads, arms wrapped tightly around their older sister. Their parents told them to grow up, their older cousins mocked them. The adults ignored them, but their sister would tell them what was right._

_"Then if you believe, do you trust in them? You trust Santa to arrive Christmas day. You trust the Tooth Fairy to give you gold coins for every lost tooth. You trust Sandman to send you sweet dreams. And you trust the Easter Bunny to hide eggs every Easter Sunday. You trust them, yes?"_

_"Yes..." Henry sniffled, calming down slowly as he sat next to his sisters. Willow gently brought Clara into her lap, and undid the messed up braid, letting the soft blonde locks slip through her fingers as she re-braided her sisters hair. _

_"Well, can you trust me?"_

_Both of her siblings chimed in, "Yes!"_

_"Then trust me when I tell you that the 'Boogie Man' doesn't exist."_

_"B-but Andrew Blakely said that he saw the Boogie Man a-and so did Carla Pars-"_

_"Henry," Willow sighed, cutting her little brother's protest off. She looked at him and said quietly, "Can you trust me?"_

_This time Henry just nodded to his sister. Of course he trusted her, she was his older sister who loved and cared for him and Clara._

_"Let's say, for the moment, that he is real. If the Boogie Man does exist, then can you trust me to protect you? Can you trust me to guard you?"_

_Hnery nodded slowly, rewrapping his arms around Willow in a hug. Yes, he trusted her._

_Willow smiled lightly, glad that for the moment her siblings had forgotten about the man in black._

_Of course, she didn't know that the very same man stood watching, a scowl stretched across his face as gold sand danced above their heads. The dreams forming brightly as the three slept peacefully._

_His scowl turned from a scowl to a smirk as he felt fear radiate from outside the calm house. Another child was ready to believe. For now he'd leave these two alone, but he would return. _

_As soon as their precious sister left he would return._

Bunnymund grumbled, grouchy from falling in the snow so many times and fed up with the freezing temperatures. Why couldn't they postpone this "hunt" till spring?

Jack laughed delightedly as the 6'1" hare came into his sights. Slowly, he knelt in the snow, forming a snowball in his pale hands and blowing fun around it, creating an ice-ball.

As he pulled his hand back to launch it, a larger hand wrapped around his own. Well, more like the hand wrapped around his fore-arm.

Santa's hands were huge.

North chuckled deeply, shaking a finger at Jack before bending into the snow. His snow-ball looked like the base of a snowman. But Santa didn't really think about this when he launched the freezing ball at an unsuspecting Bunny.

"Oi!" Bunny shrieked as the giant snowball collided, the cold getting through his fur easily. He kicked the white powdery stuff away as his body shivered like crazy, his long ears drooped.

Santa spotted the hare glaring at him, and quickly stood up straight, whistling as he watched the sky. My, how interesting it seemed all of a sudden.


End file.
